Flora Davis has written scores of magazine articles and is the author of five nonfiction books, including the award-winning Moving the Mountain: The Women’s Movement in America Since 1960 (1991, 1999). She currently lives in a retirement community and continues to work as a writer.
A Diagnosis in Search of a Disease? May 11, 2021 - Back in 2016, my doctor told me I was prediabetic: my blood sugar level was above normal, and if I didn’t do something about it, I could wind up with type 2 diabetes. That scared me. I know what a…
I Swear March 26, 2021 - “Good gravy!” When I came across that exclamation recently in an online essay, it fueled a whole train of thought. Good grief Golly Gosh Criminy Darn you Doggone it These expressions have passed their use-by dates, as have those of…
The Memories That Escape Me February 17, 2021 - The other day, I took my cat to the vet. When we were done, I needed some prescription cat food from the practice’s pharmacy, and the vet’s assistant offered to collect it and meet me at my car. But then…
What Was the Silent Generation Silent About? January 15, 2021 - I’ve never much liked the fact that I’m part of the Silent Generation. Sandwiched as we are between the heroes of the Greatest Generation and the rebellious, idealistic Baby Boomers, we silents sound so boring. And when I stopped to…
Forest Bathing November 20, 2020 - The house where I grew up had miles of woods behind it, and my brother and I spent a lot of time walking the paths there or hiding in the brush, pretending to be early settlers or Indians. Those woods…
The Benefit I Earned October 22, 2020 - I was thinking the other day about how thrilled I was, shortly after I turned 65, when I signed up for Social Security. It was a watershed moment, and my husband took me out for lunch to celebrate. I was…
Could a Drug Trial Be the First Step Toward Healthier Aging? August 25, 2020 - Nine out of 10 Americans who are 75 and older have at least one chronic disease. More than two out of 10 of us have at least five. I’m talking about life-draining conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and dementia—all,…
14 Things I’ve Learned from the Pandemic June 30, 2020 - For weeks and weeks, thanks to the pandemic, I’ve not only been staying at home, I’ve been stuck indoors. In the huge retirement community where I live, we were asked in mid-March not to leave our apartments until further notice.…
I’m Not Really a Luddite May 22, 2020 - My kids complain because I seldom turn on my smartphone. Not true. I turn it on whenever I’m expecting a call. But they don’t get that. Apparently, they’re on one side of a generational divide, and I’m on the other. …
Hearing Aids Get Smarter April 29, 2020 - My friend, Jeanne, has new hearing aids, and I’m green with envy. Compared to her aids, mine seem about as cutting edge as a horse and buggy in the dawning era of the car. Here’s what hers will do: When…
Our Incredible, Shrinking World March 25, 2020 - I live in a CCRC, a continuing care retirement community. That means I’ve been promised a roof over my head and health care of one kind or another for the rest of my life. More than 1,000 residents live here,…
On Turning 85 March 5, 2020 - When I turned 85 recently, I was relieved. I’d had a silly, personal superstition: my Dad died at 84, and I thought I might do that too. Eighty-five arrived not only with a faint frisson of relief but with loving…
The Fog of Aging February 19, 2020 - When I was young, I had a quick mind, an excellent memory, and I found it easy to multitask. Not anymore. These days, when I set out to put words down on a page, it takes more time than it…
Driver Assistance: How to Put Safety First If You’re DWO—Driving While Old January 28, 2020 - When I bought a new car a couple of years ago, the one thing I felt I had to have was a blind spot monitor. I do a certain amount of highway driving, and I’ve had a few close calls…
Putting Menopause on Pause December 17, 2019 - If there’s a way to delay menopause, will women jump at the chance? Going by past experience, I might have done just that when I was younger. I’ve been thinking about this because, according to some, it’s already possible to…
Words Matter November 8, 2019 - I’m 84. That’s old and I don’t mind saying so. But for many people, the word old is such a turnoff that, on this website, we generally prefer euphemisms such as older, as in older adults. We don’t use old
Nostalgia: Why It’s Good for You October 3, 2019 - My daughter and grandchildren live in the town where I grew up, just a few blocks from my childhood home. Sometimes when I’m visiting them, I drive by that house very slowly or lurk at the curb, motor running, savoring…
It’s Hard to Eat When You’re Holding Your Ears August 13, 2019 - A few weeks ago, I took my decibel meter with me to dinner at one of the restaurants in my retirement community. It was a busy night, and the steady growl of conversation kept rising to a roar. The meter…
Planning for Your Own Death July 18, 2019 - I live in New Jersey, and in April we became the eighth state to permit medical aid in dying. Once the new law goes into effect, people who are terminally ill, who want to end their lives on their own…
The Downside of Killing Two Birds with One Stone June 12, 2019 - I think some people may be born to sit. When I was a toddler, I preferred not to toddle. My mother finally bought a harness, put it on me and took me for walks, using the harness to keep me…
